Deathmaker by Lindsay Buroker

Goodreads: Deathmaker

Ah,  Lindsay Buroker . . .  

A lady who can spin a mean yarn!!!! 

This one is full of pirates, flying machines, and a sharp-shootin' gal who who can skin your nose with a rock from a hundred yards away. 

Set in a steampunk world complete with magic, war, adventure, plenty of escapes, and a good dollop of a fancy gooey concoction with remarkable metal-melting properties, it's brilliant stuff. I just loved it. 

In fact, my traitorous heart even thinks it prefers this little number to Lindsay's Emperor's Edge series!! 

How is that possible when I do love Amaranthe and Sicarius so much? (If you haven't read those books you are doing yourself a serious disservice, and I would suggest you rectify that oversight without further ado.)

But as much as I love A&S from Emperor's Edge, Cal and Tolemek from Deathmaker have absolutely stolen my heart. 

Cal is the ultimate impetuous shoot-first-ask-questions-later heroine. 

Tolemek - despite his dastardly nickname Deathmaker - is a smart, Captain Jack Sparrowish (Pirates of the Caribbean) hero with a penchant for making gooey substances (from snake and spider venom) with both deadly and benign properties. 

The chemistry between these two sworn enemies is fun to read, although, unlike Balanced on a Blade's Edge (the first in this series) this is more of an adventure than a romance. For those who loved Balanced on a Blade's Edge, Ridge, Sardelle and Jaxi also appear in this one. That said, Cal and Tolemek are definitely the show-stealers.

As we can expect from Lindsay, the action is fast-paced and riddled with her usual witty dialogue. There is even an unexpected twist at the end to keep it from becoming predictable. 

And . . . tara tara . . . no deluge scene! No water at all! To understand this reference see my Blade's Edge review. 

So, after this rave review, what didn't I like? 

Okay, I admit, this sounds shallow, but the cover . . . 

I know, I know, I did choose this one when Lindsay posted her options on Facebook for comment, but it was the best of a boring lot . . . 

Maybe it's just me, but I find the blue very dull. Tolemek deserves better . . .

So, if you haven't read this yet, I suggest you rush out and buy it. And in case you are wondering how much Lindsay paid me for this review . . . nada - other than a free copy for comment. 

But, let it be said, hand on heart, this is my honest opinion of a fantastic story. I can't wait to read more about these guys. 

cheers
Gwynn

Balanced on the Blade's Edge by Lindsay Buroker

Lindsay Buroker is one of the few authors for whom I will rearrange my reading schedule, so when she called for reviewers for her latest book, Balanced on the Blade's Edge, I was there. Just like I stopped what I was doing on Facebook (mindless trawling, if I'm honest) to follow the link to her help-me-choose-a-cover-for-said-book post. Happy to announce that I picked the cover she finally went with. Don't you just love it?

So, all this might lead you to believe that I am biased about her writing and that you can in no way trust this review. Not so. I love Lindsay's work but I'm not totally blind to her quirks and foibles. To find out more, read on . . .

Balanced on a Blade's Edge is a gripping, fun read in which we meet two charming characters: Ridge and Sardelle.

Ridge is a fly-by-the-seat-of-his-pants colonel with more demerits than medals who is sent as a punishment to command a vital prison mine in a hostile environment. I loved him. Great character and I would definitely like to read more of his exploits. How about some novellas of his early days, Lindsay?

Sardelle is a sorcerer who went into stasis three hundred years ago and woke to find her world destroyed, and now a bunch of blood-thirsty, sex-crazed miners are rummaging through the rubble. Luckily the new commanding officer is hot and seems to have a interest in this strange new 'prisoner'. . . Sardelle has all the usual kick-butt qualities we expect from Lindsay's heroines. But what made her interesting was that although she has mega-power in a world of mundanes, she can't use any of it in case the numbskulls burn her at the stake for being a witch. Nice twist. It also made for a sizzling ending.

So with characters in place, what follows is a typical Lindsay Buroker extravaganza. Regular readers of her works will recognise - and love - the usual sharp-witted banter that flows so easily from her pen. They will also be familiar with another of her favourite plot devices . . . yes, there is another deluge scene. Lindsay does love destroying things with water, and it makes fun reading even if it is a bit predictable. There, you see, not a blind reviewer throwing out bouquets - there's an implied criticism there. I admit to an eye roll when the water came, and yes, it robbed the story of its fifth star. But maybe that's just me . . . The rest of her readers may still love the water.

What I did love, though, was the freshness of the:
1. Setting. A prison mine that was once the home to a dynasty of sorcerers. Good stuff!
2. The magic. I loved the concept of Jaxi, the soulblade who could speak in Sardelle's mind. To find out more about that, you will just have to read the book.
3. Flying. That was fun, but I would have loved to know more about the flyers Ridge flew. 
4. The ending. Coooool! And so unpredictable. Only trouble was, I was miserable when it was all over.

So, yes, I loved Balanced on the Blade's Edge and would definitely want to read more about these characters. I am sure that world has a place for a wild flyer colonel and a displaced sorcerer. 

How about it Lindsay?

Cheers
Gwynn

The Iron Traitor by Julie Kagawa

The Iron Traitor (Goodreads)

Okay, let's the get the important stuff out the way . . .  this cover: it's GORGEOUS. Yes, in capitals. I would read this book just for the cover. And the title. Who would not want to find out who the traitor is: Ethan or Kerrian? Well, I'm not telling you. You have to read it to find out.

So after than fan rave, what did I think of this book? 

Better or worse than the The Lost Prince? 

Answer? Yes, it is, but then I only gave The Lost Prince three stars (you can see my review here) so that's not really difficult.

What makes The Iron Traitor better? 

It's hard to say. There were some things that really bugged me about it. Not to give away spoilers, but in places it felt as if Kagawa was running a bit short on imagination - a dramatic admission because she is The Imagination Queen - but I saw bits of other books and even a big steal from the movie Monsters Inc in it. 

Also, I was afraid after reading book one that the plot wasn't complex enough to fill a whole series, and I feel I was proved right. In this book Kagawa has fallen back on some well-known tropes to carry her story, for example: a prophecy now looms large. 

Those points definitely detracted from my enjoyment, but there was a lot that made up for it and most of that goes back to Ethan and Keirran.

Ethan and Keirran! 

Now there are two interesting male protagonists. I really enjoy being in Ethan's head and Keirran is a fascinatingly complex character. All the traits Ethan displayed in book one - loyalty, courage, determination - go into overdrive in this book. In a word, he's great. My only complaint is that he does a lot of fighting (yah, I love that) and gets multiple injuries in each fight, but still he keeps moving with nary a flinch.  I found that a bit implausible, enough so for me to start shaking my head after awhile. Still, Ethan is definitely one of my favourite male protags and I will happily read more books with him in it. 

Now for Keirran . . . wow. Julie Kagawa has a wild card here. At times I wanted to hug him and other times I could have kicked his butt all the way to Ash and demanded that Ash freeze his feet to the ground. (As an aside: I rather suspect that Ash feels the same way too. That said, Ethan also got up Meghan's and Ash's noses in this book. In fact he managed to annoy a lot of people. That's what makes him so much fun to be with)

The other characters? 

Kenzie and Annwyl strutted their stuff, but they are definitely not show stealers. I like Kenzie - a lot - but Annwyl really bugs me. I think she's weak and she allows Keirran to do some really crazy things for her without too much care for the consequences. But then, if she wasn't weak we wouldn't have a story. Razor the gremlin is back in force here, and I loved every page he was on.

The Ending - Urgh, No!!!

No review of this book would be complete without a comment on the ending. It sucks. There, I said it. It's a cliffhanger of note and, what can I say, it sucks! All I could do was roll my eyes and demand that Harlequin tell me how long they intend making me to wait to find out what happened. Obviously, no such answer was forthcoming. Oh well, this is me waiting at the edge of my seat . . .

Finally, the all-important question . . .

How many stars?

Humph . . . tough one. Definitely more than three but not quite four. So I guess that makes it's a three and a half. Still, I did enjoy it a lot and would recommend it to readers who love fey and intersting characters. Just a quick thank you to Harlequin for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Until next time

Cheers

Gwynn

The Lost Price by Julie Kagawa

The Lost Prince (Goodreads)

I have now read two series about the Chase siblings: The Iron Fey (reviews here and here ) and The Lost Prince, first book in The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten series, and I have to confess that I liked Ethan way more than his whiney sister Meghan. Ethan is tough, loyal, self-deprecating and tortured. And he can fight like a demon with swords, sticks or fists. So what's not to like? I also enjoyed Kenzie, his friend, soon to be girlfriend. She's persistent, brave and equally as loyal. She's a great addition to the book.

So much for the two MCs, now what about the plot?

This is where my criticisms come in. For me, The Lost Prince felt a little 'been there, done that'. 

In The Iron Fey, Ethan is kidnapped by fey and taken to the Nevernever, prompting his sister Meghan and her friend Robbie (Puck) to rush off and rescue him. In The Lost Prince, Ethan's sort-of-friend Todd, a half half faerie, half human, is kidnapped, and guess what? Ethan and Kenzie rush to the Nevernever to rescue him. Okay, I admit they were driven there by the bad guys, but still, it all felt very familiar. And then once in the Nevernever, like Mehgan before him, Ethan discovers he's a prince of the fey. Or in Meghan's case, she discovers she's a queen, but you get my drift.

Also, I found that the secondary characters in The Lost Prince lacked the sparkle of The Iron Fey crew. It's hard to beat Puck and Ash for charm, wit and banter and Kierran, Annwyl and Todd - the Lost Prince bunch - just didn't have the same 'magic'. Grimalkin the talking cat also makes an appearance in this book, but I didn't enjoy him nearly as much as I did in The Iron Fey series (He was one of my favourite characters) This time round, he just seemed annoying. Sorry Grimalkin. Thankfully Razor the gremlin came to the rescue. He's a great little guy whom I have a very special spot for. I hope he stays around throughout the series. A character I did enjoy meeting again was Leanansidhe, the Exiled Queen. Every page she appeared on instantly came alive. Julie Kagawa has done an excellent job with her creation.

Now for the bad guys  . . . The Forgotten

I remember some mention of the fey who fade away in the first series, so I wasn't surprised when they turned up here, trying to regain their glamour by sucking the other fey dry. Although I figured out very early in the story who the bad guys were, it makes for an interesting plot line. I just don't know if it measures up to the pure originality of the first series. I'm not convinced this story has the legs to really go the distance they way The Iron Fey plot did. 

All this sounds as if I didn't enjoy The Lost Prince. 

No, not true. I did enjoy it and I'm now thoroughly invested in Ethan and Kenzie. I definitely want to see what happens with them, so I will be reading book two: The Iron Traitor. 

So how many stars?

I give this one three and a half stars, all attributed to Ethan, Kenzie, Razor and Leanansidhe. Would I recommend it? Yes, especially to those who already love The Iron Fey series. 

Until next time, cheers

Gwynn

PS: For those who like these details, I bought a copy of the book at my local bookstore.

Giveaway and Interview with David J Normoyle, author of The Narrowing Path

I'm thrilled to have David J Normoyle on my blog talking about his enthralling dystopian fantasy The Narrowing Path (my review here).  I really enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone who loves an imaginative adventure set in a truly cruel dystopian world.

Happily, David is giving away a couple of Ebook copies of The Narrowing Path. All you have to do to win is to write a comment on either this interview or the review post and I will randomly pick a winner on Sunday 29 September. Good luck.

Now to David . . .

Hello David and welcome to my corner of the blogosphere. Firstly, can you tell me where the inspiration for The Narrowing Path come from?

I'd recently read a few dystopians such as Hunger Games where there's a fight to the death between teenagers. Mostly, the reasoning behind making the teens fight is flimsy. In the movie Battle Royale for instance, it's barely explained at all. So I wanted to create a society where this fight to the death had a more firm reasoning behind it. In The Narrowing Path, the fight is seen in society as an evolutionary struggle which ensures that the best survive.

Also instead of just physical fighting, I wanted the struggle to rely more on wits and intelligence and leadership. Like in Game of Thrones where those who are the cleverest generally end up on top. In this novel, the teenagers are launched into the real world with nothing but their wits and strength. They have to make their own way, and those who impress the leaders of society along the way (while also managing to avoid getting killed by rivals) are the ones who win and get to live. So I started working on those two ideas and The Narrowing Path is the result.

Well, I think you achieved that very well. When will the rest of the series be available?

The Treacherous Path should be out around February next year with the final book in the trilogy, The Collapsing Path, due out toward the end of next year.

Now for the horrible question . . . Tell me in 140 characters why someone should read your book.

Delve into a world of scheming and fighting--the only ones more bloodthirsty than the youths who walk the path is the adults who guide them

Great answer! Please share something about yourself – a potted biography.

As a child, I loved the world of books, and that combined with a severe daydreaming condition were worrying signs to my parents. But their fears were allayed when I grew up to become a respectable sort, an engineer. All went well until my early thirties when I was struck down by that most nefarious of insects, the writing bug. I spewed up vomitous words for a while but seemed to make a full recovery and returned to normal life. But under the surface all was not right, and I secretly studied the art and craft of writing. And now, to the despair of my parents and society in general, I follows the solitary and quite mad pursuit of being a writer.

The world can always do with more writers. So, where do you write and how do you keep inspiration flowing?

I write at the desk in my bedroom. I get my inspiration by turning off the internet. Perspiration is the important quality, the key is to keep working even--or especially--when the words aren't flowing.

Strange, but before my move to the UK, I also had a small office in my bedroom. It was great, so I understand the appeal. Tell us about your favourite music.

I'm not into music as much as most people but I like old school rock the best: U2, Rolling Stones, Bruce Springstein, that kind of thing.

I also still enjoy the old rock - showing my age - but happily I also moved on to embrace and love indie and modern rock. So what's your favourite food?

I like most types so it's more about the quality than the type for me. If I had to chose one, it'd be Indian.

Hot and spicy . . .  I get that. What was the best book you’ve read in 2013?

I've read a lot of great books in 2013, including Redshirts, Ready Player One, Gone Girl and The Passage. However I'm going to revert to my favourite genre and pick an epic fantasy I read recently. Blood Song by Anthony Ryan. If the sequels are as good, this will be the start of a fantasy series up there with the very best.

Hmm . . . there are some titles in that list that I don't know. I will have to check them out. Finally, where can fans find you?

http://www.davidjnormoyle.com
http://www.facebook.com/DavidJNormoyle
http://www.twitter.com/@davidjnormoyle

Thank you so much for visiting with me today David (an all my readers!) I look forward to the next book in The Narrowing Path series.

And: Don't forget the giveaway, guys. Just leave a comment and you could win a eEbook of The Narrowing Path.

Until next time

Cheers

Gwynn

The Narrowing Path by David J Normoyle

The Narrowing Path (Goodreads)

I found this gem of a book on Netgalley and was struck by the cover: definitely intriguing. The blurb clinched the deal, luring me in . . .

Only the strongest, smartest and most ruthless will survive.

Every six years, the world draws nearer to the sun. In Arcandis, those who want to live must claim the limited places in the Refuge, a series of underground caverns cooled by the sea.

The teenage boys of noble birth are sent out into the city to demonstrate their wits and strength. Some prove themselves in combat, others display their empire building skills, still others attempt to kill off their rivals. Out of over a hundred, only six will be selected by the leaders of the great families and allowed a place in the Refuge. The rest will perish, one way or another.

Not only is thirteen-year-old Bowe younger and weaker than most of the other boys, he has no family to support him. He is expected to die on the very first day of the narrowing path. Instead he begins a journey no one could have anticipated.

Unable to resist The Hunger Games feel of it, I immediately requested it and am delighted to say that it delivered on all its promises. I started reading in the evening and found myself still awake at three in the morning when I turned the last page on my Kindle. I was so impressed that I filed it into it's own category under the author's name. I only ever do that if I intend reading more of an author's work. The rest of the books get shoved into a genre category.

Okay . . . so what made it so good?

The book is definitely dystopian (thoroughly brutal in fact) but it has a high fantasy setting! Anyone familiar with my blog will know that fantasy and sci-fi are my first loves. That said, one of my reading delights this year has been the discovery of some great cross-over books that mash different genres together - like this one - making for a fascinating read. As far as I can see, it's mainly indie-authors who are daring to write like this, and David J Normoyle has done it very well in The Narrowing Path.

The plot kicks off without too much backstory or preamble and we are in the world of Arcandis, following the fortunes - and misfortunes - of Bowe Bellanger, our young hero. I was instantly sucked in even though the first few pages bombarded me with names and titles and quite complicated aspects of Arcandis life. I admit, it could be an overwhelming beginning, but I was so intrigued by the action that I barreled through it and was hooked. 

Bowe Bellanger is a delightfully flawed hero with a giant-sized heart. He captured my sympathy instantly and although sometimes he made some really stupid decisions as he battled to stay alive on the 'path', I was rooting for him all the way through. Be warned though, this book is not for the faint-hearted: deaths - gruesome ones - occur every few pages. In that aspect it makes The Hunger Games look like a church picnic. 

Bowe also has some strange ideas about girls. But given his background and age, I found it quite acceptable. He is the perfect gentleman to the high class damsel in distress, but cannot cope with the tough, kick-butte peasant girl (whom he secretly fancies) who helped save his life a few times. I suspect this is going to be an area explored by Normoyle in subsequent books and I imagine young Bowe is going to learn some short, sharp lessons about dealing with women. I can't wait to read about them.

From that, you can guess that I will be reading the next two books in the series: The Treacherous Path and The Collapsing Path. You can bet on it.

So how many stars for The Narrowing Path? A solid four star read!

I will be doing an interview with David Normoyle on Wednesday when I will be giving away a couple of his books. It will be well worth stopping by for a chance to win.

Cheers

Gwynn

A brilliant ending to an amazing series: Shades of Earth by Beth Revis

Shades Of Earth (Goodreads)

For pure originality, depth of characters and imaginative world-building you cannot beat the 

Across The Universe series. (Goodreads) 

In this, the final book in the series, Amy and Elder and fifteen hundred of the Godspeed residents land on their new home, planet Centauri-Earth. Unfortunately, they quickly discover that the planet is far from welcoming. Hostile is how I would describe it. The stories they had been told before leaving the Godspeed about 'monsters' are real. They are being picked off like flies, with someone dying - often brutally - every day. But before Elder can even establish his leadership, Amy immediately sets about unfreezing her parents and the other military personnel and scientists. This brings instant conflict. So instead of working together, the Earthborn and Shipborn fight each other instead of their common enemies - the aliens who already inhabit the planet.

So what did I think of Shades of Earth? 

I admit it took me a while to get into. But that was for a very simple reason: Amy made some early decisions that made me really cross. (I tend to get very invested in books I love) But in hindsight, if she hadn't been so selfish and stupid I suppose we wouldn't have had such a thrilling read. So I guess I forgive her. Elder did, so how can I be so hardhearted?

The pace is fast, the tension high, and the characters hopped off the page. 

Beth Revis needs a round of applause for her world-building. 

As she says in the acknowledgement section of the book: 

"the problem with discovering a whole new world is that it could be anything, and without the guidance of Ben Schrank and Gillian Levison, Centuri-Earth would be nothing but a pale imitation of what it is now. They made me dig into the sandy soil and uncover what lay beneath the surface of the planet; they tilted my head to the skies so I could see the pteros flying there, and they led me to the poisoned heart of the world and helped me to discover a way to cure it."

And what a thrilling ride that journey was.

 Once over my fit of pique with Amy, I sucked Shades of Earth up like I was there.  I felt every bit of tension, every pain, every loss (and trust me, people die in this book. There are no sacred cows. If a character needed to die to move the plot along, then . . . off with their heads)

The book definitely showed us the seamy side of human nature. Greed. Prejudice. Fear. Beth Revis asks us to decide what really makes a person a human being. Very thought-provoking.

The Heroes?

For me, the real hero of this story is Elder. He became a man in this book, a leader anyone would be proud to follow. Amy? She got off to a slow start, but by the end she had found her place in the world and became a person of real substance. I salute what she made of herself, despite the horrendous challenges she was put through.

The Love?

The romance was there, but it definitely took a back seat to the action. And that suited me fine. A love triangle threatened, and for a moment I thought Amy was going to do something really unforgivable, but her love for Elder held true to the end. I was very pleased about that. I think I would have coughed up a pteros egg if a love triangle had developed.

Stars?

Five gleaming galaxies. 

Other series Across the Universe competes with

If you love the Under the Never Sky series (my reviews here and here), then you will enjoy this too. Other brilliant series which also run neck to neck with Across The Universe are: Daughter of Smoke and Bone (My reviews here and here) and The Grisha. That gives you an idea of how amazing these books are.

Have you read the series? If so leave a comment, I'd love to hear your thoughts.

cheers

Gwynn
P.S.  In case you're wondering, I own two copies of this book: The Kindle version and the paperback. I bought both. Why the paperback? I had to complete my paper collection. I love looking at the covers!

My Wolf's Bane by Veronica Blade

  

  Different species. Mortal enemies. It'll never work, but they'll die trying.

Are you looking for a fun, light-hearted paranormal romance for the summer? Or winter, if you're in the southern hemisphere? Yes. Then My Wolf's Bane (Goodreads) would be a good choice if you're not too picky about originality of plotline. This is a typical school-based paranormal where the girl - Autumn Rossi - meets the strange new hottie - Zack de Luca - and (surprise, surprise) they fall passionately in love. 

Okay, maybe it's not quite so straightforward . . .  

Like all angst-filled teenage romances, Zack first takes an instant dislike to Autumn. He acts like he hates her, yet he keeps bailing her out of trouble. Not only is Zack both insufferable and irresistible, he seems to sniff her anytime he gets close. And that is the key to the story . .  . Zack is a werewolf. And Autumn? I'm not telling you other than to say she can suddenly outrun every critter in the forest, making her wonder if she’s even human. 

The problem is that her 'species' and weres are mortal enemies. But like all headstrong teenagers that little fact doesn't stop their passions flaring. As it hots up, Autumn isn’t sure which is more dangerous: her psycho ex-boyfriend, or falling for Zack — who’s risking his life just by being near her. Although the plot is achingly familiar, the writing is good and there was enough action to keep me engaged.

The publisher is very clear on the My Wolf's Blane Goodreads page that this is a romance, meaning it's romance first and everything else is second. 

So, how did the romance do? 

I'm not sure romance is quite the word I would use to describe My Wolf's Bane. Lust works better, and Veronica Blade definitely knows how to write toe-tingling lust. She skillfully crafted the sexual build-up between them, peppering it with a healthy measure of misunderstanding and mutual embarrassment. The publisher rated My Wolf's Blane PG-13 for sexual situations and mild profanity. Being sensitive to steamy sex (I avoid it), I was pleased that the book remained a fairly clean New Adult read. I would have no problem letting my teenagers at it. 

And the characters? 
I thoroughly enjoyed hanging out with Autumn and will seek her out in subsequent books. Veronica Blade also has two free novellas/segments written from Zack's POV which I read and really enjoyed. Lone Wolf - The Complication (Goodreads) and Lone Wolf - The Beginning (Goodreads) The fact that I hunted them down is testament to how much I liked Zack.

Any objections? 
Yes. In the beginning of the book, Autumn's parents are suffocating, even messaging her when she's in class. Then, suddenly, they agree to go away on an extended business trip, leaving her all alone. I'm sure that bit of out-of-character weirdness will be explained in subsequent books, but it detracted enough from the story to rob it of half a star. It felt like a typical YA plot device to get the heroine and the hottie alone together. Still, reading My Wolf's Blane was fun with a capital F. 

So how many stars? 
3.5 shaggy, black wolves howling at the moon.  

Just so you know, I won a copy of this book.

Cheers
Gwynn

 

INDIEpendence Day bloghop from 2 - 5 July

Indie-authors? Some of us love them. Other won't touch them. 

Me?

I have read as many awful traditionally published books as I've read indie. 

And I've read as many brilliant indie books as I have read traditional. 

So as long as the indie book has been properly edited, I'm there, happy to dive in and enjoy the ride.

What do you think? Leave a comment and let's chat.

In the meantime . . .

This week, as part of INDIEpendence Day (hosted by the Indelibles), I'm sharing my all-time favourite indie author with you: Lindsay Buroker.

If you're new to my blog, you probably don't know that I'm involved in a passionate love affair with Lindsay Buroker's Emperor's Edge series (Goodreads). For my previous raves and to read my review of the first book click here and here! 

Today, it's the turn of Book Two - Dark Currents, (Goodreads) - to be loved. 

But first, what's it about? 

The Goodreads blurb sums it up beautifully . . .

It's been three months since former enforcer Amaranthe Lokdon and the notorious assassin Sicarius thwarted kidnappers and saved the emperor's life. The problem? Nobody knows they were responsible for this good deed. Worse, they're being blamed for the entire scheme. With enforcers and bounty hunters stalking them, and the emperor nursing a personal hatred for Sicarius, it's going to be hard to earn exoneration. When Amaranthe's team discovers mutilated bodies in the city aqueducts and a mysterious illness incapacitates thousands of citizens, she and Sicarius see an opportunity to solve the mystery and prove their loyalty. But they'll have to defeat vengeful shamans, man-eating predators, and deadly mechanical constructs, all while dodging imperial soldiers who would rather kill them than accept their help. Nobody said exoneration would be easy.

 Okay, with that out the way, let me tell you why I loved Dark Currents.

1. It's written from two POV's.

Amaranthe and Books, the disgraced history profession turned outlaw, share the stage.  

This adds real depth because not only are we following the main adventure, we also learn about Books, his background, fears and weaknesses. His sub-story adds to the richness of the plot. I'm glad Buroker chose to highlight him first because he seemed to me to be the weakest character. Not anymore. After Dark Currents, he's a vital asset to the team. And what would Maldynado do without Books to tease?

2. The plot and the setting are so original. 

Come on, high fantasy (which I love) set against an era of steam! How can that not thrill? Then you throw in the crazy magic with soul constructs and amazing mechanical devices and you're off to a hectic ride. 

3. More twists and turns than a spiral staircase. 

Honestly, the plot grabs you by the throat from the first page and doesn't let go until the last, leading you along such a convoluted path that it's impossible to second guess what will happen next. The tension is unremitting, broken only by the relentlessly funny dialogue.

4. The dialogue.

It's so sharp with endless one-liners which left me laughing out loud. Lindsay Buroker writes brilliantly.

5. The characters.

As I've said before, they're so real, I swear they live and breath in a parallel universe. 

Now, I'm not the only obsessed idiot out there. There's vibrant Fan Art page on Pinterest where other (more talented) hopeless cases like myself have created some stunning pics of the characters. I share three of these with permission from Lindsay Buroker. 

A great new Emperor's Edge group scene from Vaudevillian on the EE forum: the-emperors-edge... #fantasy #steampunk 

Amaranthe (in front) Sicirius (in monochromatic black) Books (leaning over the manuscript) Maldynado (disowned aristocrat, turned gigolo, turned outlaw) with his outlandish hat. Aksytr (wannabe magician . . . I mean Practitioner) pouring over a Made (Magical) Construct. Bald-headed Basilard.

Now for a look at the two POV characters in Dark Currents . . .

Our heroine, seen through the eyes of Jennifer, EE Fan Artist. 

I think it's a pretty good rendition of what the kick-butt Amaranthe looks like.

I must admit, this is not how I pictured Books. 

I saw him as much older and  . . .  fussy, almost like an old woman with wet knickers. By the end of Dark Currents, I held him in much higher esteem!

Pity the artist didn't leave a name. 

Well I think that's enough raving for one day. Anyone would think Lindsay is paying me to say all these nice things. I promise you, she isn't! I bought this book with own hard-earned cash. 

Stars?

Need I say it? Five, of course.

Where can you buy Dark Currents?

Firstly, I must tell you that book one, Emperor's Edge, is free everywhere.

Dark Currents is available on Amazon/ Smashwords/ Barnes & Noble

TO FIND THE OTHER BLOGS ON THE HOP, CLICK HERE

Cheers

Gwynn

PS.  The next EE series review will be of Deadly Games (Goodreads) which I will post next week. As a special treat I have an interview with Lindsay Buroker that I'm excited to share with you. I will also be posting a couple more pieces of fan art. In the meantime, don't forget to check out the link on Pinterest.

Autumn by Sierra Dean

Autumn (Goodreads) took me through a whole gambit of emotions:  

"What? You can't be serious! This heroine sucks."  

To

"Man, this book is tense." 

Until finally, 

"No way! It can't be finished. Where's the next book?"  

How's that for a rollercoster ride?

So the heroine sucks, does she? Well yes, to begin with. Lou's dad has recently died of cancer and her mom, having depleted the family coffers caring for him, is forced to move her and Lou to Poisonfoot, Texas, to stay with grandma. And all Lou did for the first part of the book was whinge and whine like an ungrateful teenager. I mean, come on, look at this . . .

"If Eloise (Lou) Whittaker had to narrow down the worst things ever in her life to a list, the top three would go as follows:

3) Uncooked chicken. When it's all, like, pink in the middle? Gross.

2) Her father dying. Which was really tied for number one with  . . . 

1) Moving because her dad died."

Sorry, but that was an epic fail for me. Lou Whittaker had a long way to claw back after those opening lines. So it wasn't with the kindest feelings that I went into her story. But by the time she had gotten to Poisonfoot, had settled in with her weirdo grandmother, and had gone to school where she met Cooper - the hot boy everyone in town warns her against - I was pretty engaged.

I think what saved Autumn for me - at least in the beginning - was Cooper. Now why can't one of my daughters meet a guy like that? He can join us for Sunday lunch anytime.  Okay, okay, I admit he has his problems . . . he's doomed by an old curse to turn into a coyote when he turns eighteen, but still, he's a great guy whom I really ached for as the story unfolded. I would read the sequels just to make sure his life gets sorted out and the curse lifted. In fact, the injustice of his plight has stayed with me long after I put the book down. That counts for something.

But there was something else that really bugged me about this book - the matter of simple teenage psychology. Ask any parent anywhere what happens when you tell a teenager no without backing it up with a concrete reason. Any parent anywhere will tell you that said teenager will - out of sheer bloody-mindedness - ignore you completely and go and do exactly what you told them not to. Well, it seems that not a single adult in Poisonfoot, Texas knows that, because everyone kept telling Lou and Cooper to keep away from each other, but everyone refused to tell them - and us - why. So guess what happened? Yeah, you got that right. So what was the love between them like? To be honest, I've read better chemistry, but I like Cooper so much, I will concede that his love is sweet.

Now about all that tension I mentioned earlier. Trust me, it's there. This book has everything: ghosts, curses, weirdos, magic, and a very creepy town filled with some real odd-ball people. All of it builds up to a whopper of an ending. To be honest, I thought I had the book sussed out: I knew who the good guys were and the bad, and I had the mystery solved until BLAM . . . the ending. I just did not see it coming. Well done, Sierra Dean. You had me biting my nails and then crying out in horror at the outcome. It is a long time since that has happened to me with a book.

So Autumn  . . . would I recommend it?  It's definitely intriguing - well worth a spending an afternoon with. Number of stars: Because of my rocky start with Lou, I will say three.

By the way, I got this book for free of Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Cheers
Gwynn

Outcast by Adrienne Kress

I was looking for something new and fresh when I requested Outcast (Goodreads) off Netgalley. I'm delighted to say that the book delivered on every level. And look at that cover. Isn't it great?  

In Outcast, we meet Riley, our socially awkward, hyper-intelligent heroine who has recently lost her best friend/almost boyfriend Chris to kidnapping angels. Or that's what the whole town - whipped into a fervour of angel worship by the local pastor - likes to believe happened. Once a year, for the last six years, angel-like beings have swept down from the sky, swooped into town, and carried off the young and healthy at an event the townspeople call the Taking. Chris fell victim last year and Riley still isn't over it yet.

Now, with a new Taking looming, she's in no mood for angels. So when one arrives in her backyard, looking to kidnap her, she does what any self-respecting Southern girls would do - she blasts it in the face with a shotgun. So far so good. Only when the dust settles, it isn't an angel lying at her feet but a very hot, very naked young guy named Gabe. After an understandably rocky start, Riley and Gabe set off to solve the mystery of the angels. Along the way, they also discover romance. Gabe, with all his worldly experience, meets his match with the very insecure Riley. I thrilled at their love. It was perfect. Not too fast. not too slow. Beautifully sketched with a totally unexpected twist at the end.

The Characters

They are delightful. I so enjoyed being in Riley's head and could read many more books with her as a narrator. She is so dry, so wise, so sharp, and so awkward, all at the same time. And Gabe? He's the perfect bad good guy. He successfully charmed every girl in town - including me (I took up residence for the duration of the book) The minor characters also step off the page. The pastor who control the town with his angel fever is exactly what you'd imagine such a person to be. Fantastic.

The Angels

While Adrienne Kress's angel-lore is very different to my own personal angel theology, it's well thought out and had me convinced for the duration of her story. What more can an author ask for? Whether I still see Archangels in such a poor light, I'm not so sure . . .  But that's why we read, isn't it? To explore other ideas and to enjoy other possibilities.

Sex and Language

There is some bad language, but it's pretty innocuous.  Although Gabe spends the first chapter naked, there is nothing steamy in this book. It's a fantasy I would happily let my kids read. So if you're looking for a fun read, this is it. I ripped through it in a day, lapping up every moment of the action.

Stars

Four shiny angels with gleaming gold wings.

Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read it.

Cheers

Gwynn

Perception by Lee Strauss PLUS Author's Interview PLUS Giveaway.

Perception (Goodreads) 

Downloaded from Netgalley. 

Thanks to the publisher for giving me the opportunity to review this one.

 

Wow! What a ride!

This Sci-Fi set in future America has it all: 

Genetic manipulation. Cyborgs. Cloning. Action. Suspense. Mystery. You name it, it's here. 

Love, too. 

My stomach fluttered at the very sweet, but forbidden romance between the two main characters, Zoe and Noah. 

Seventeen-year-old Zoe is a GAP - a beautiful, long-lived, Genetically Altered Person.  

She lives with her rather odd parents and her bother Liam (whom she adores) in magnificent home in a walled city reserved for GAPs outside Los Angeles. Hers is a charmed life filled with luxury and ease. She couldn't be happier. That is until Liam disappears under mysterious circumstances. 

When the authorities - including her parents - refuse to help her trace him, she leaves the safety of her world and heads for the 'Outside' - Los Angeles - to find her own answers. Her trail leads her to Noah. 

Noah's an ordinary guy - a natural - who has every reason in the world to despise GAPs.

Noah's mother works as a servant in Zoe's home, but ill health (something a GAP hardly ever experiences) means that Noah sometimes comes in to do her job, cleaning up after Zoe and her family. He and his mother are treated with ill-concealed contempt by Zoe's parents.

I liked Noah a lot, but I do have a minor gripe about him: his name. Poor guy. Noah is definitely flavour of the month for many YA authors. It really is time they dipped back into the baby name book for some original ideas. Even though it was obvious Lee Strauss was looking for Biblical name for him, she could really have something less hackneyed. Noah deserved something better. And in fact I could say the same about Zoe. Her name is almost a YA fixture. Okay, whinge over . . . back to Perception.  

When Noah isn't helping his mum keep her job, he's an activist fighting against all genetic engineering. He therefore has little reason to help Zoe find Liam - especially when it comes to light that Liam's working on a radical genetic engineering project. Still, the price Zoe offers to pay is right, so he agrees. Don't think Noah's mercenary. He isn't. In fact, he doesn't have a bad bone in his body. That is what makes him so likeable. And once the love took over, he repeatedly risked his life for nary a dime. I was really rooting for him.

But as he and Zoe follow the trail of clues left by Liam, their worlds are turned upside down. 

Very soon Noah finds himself on the run, hunted by powerful, ruthless men who will stop at nothing to silence him forever. Forbidden by her parents to see Noah, Zoe is forced to undergo a 'fix' (can't tell you what, you'll have to read the book to find out) which her family hope will stop her rebellious truth seeking. 

This 'fix' leaves Noah seriously conflicted. Torn between his love for Zoe and the need to be a law-abiding citizen, he makes a moral choice, leading to an exciting - heart-stopping, in fact - twist at the end of the book.

I was really impressed by Perception. 

The writing is lovely. Fast paced, but at the same time descriptive enough without being weighed down with pages and pages of gush. I also liked that it is divided into two parts - the first section is seen through Zoe's eyes. Part two is narrated by Noah, and that adds an interesting depth to the story.

How many stars? 

Definitely four.  So if you love a good Sci-Fi romance, this one won't disappoint.

Will I read the sequel? 
You bet, I will. 

 Volition is already available (Goodreads)

Now I have something special for us all . . . 

Welcome to Lee Strauss, so glad to have you on my blog today. I asked Lee some questions which she kindly answered below:

Tell us a little about yourself. What do you do when you're not writing?

I’m married with four grown children and live part time in British Columbia, Canada and part time in Germany. When I’m not writing, I read, hike, do yoga, and hang out with friends and family.

Lee Strauss is a pen name. Can you tell us how that came about?

After I’d completed the Clockwise Series books and Seaweed, I realized that I had created a brand with my name Elle Strauss. The readers of those books expect something geared to the younger YA crowd, in the G – PG rating. I knew I’d be adding to that brand with my Love, Tink Series and when I decided to write and publish books geared toward an older crowd, I didn’t feel right labeling them with the Elle Strauss name. That’s when I decided to use Lee Strauss for anything I would give a PG13 rating or higher. I don’t try to keep it a secret that both names are me, and I list Elle Strauss as the author of my Lee Strauss books, too, just so my readers can find me. But I want to make sure they know what kind of book they’re buying.

What is your favorite scene or quote (spoiler-free)?

In PERCEPTION, I like the scene on the bus, where it’s too crowded for them to sit and they’re pressed close together, standing. They’re falling in love but both resisting it so hard! J

Is there a special message in your novel you want to communicate to your readers?

The theme in PERCEPTION is in the title. How we easily misjudge people, mistrust them because they’re different from us, or we’re raised to dislike them. Our perception of people and situations are often wrong or misguided. Noah and Zoe’s perceptions of each other and the world they live in change radically as the book progresses.

How do your characters communicate with you?

So much discovery happens in the writing. Not only plot but character development. I go in thinking of a character in a certain way and by the end of the rough draft, he or she is almost always different that what I thought going in. So I guess they talk to me as the story unfolds.

How did your characters tell you their names?

I chose Noah and Zoe as names for the main characters because one of the themes in PERCEPTION is the desire and pursuit of longer/eternal life. Zoe is Greek for the word life, and Noah is the character in the bible whose life span was shortened by God to 120 years.

(So that explains my whine about Zoe and Noah's name :-) )

Did your characters teach you anything when writing their story? If so, what was it?

I don’t know if they taught me any, so much as they reminded me of things. Like don’t take life for granted; live each day, don’t just let it tick by; always tell the people I love, that I love them; anyone can change, for better or worse, but we have the choice and we can be better if we want to.

Do you have any advice for other aspiring writers?

At the risk of sounding cliché, read a lot, write a lot, study your craft, take risks, do new things.

Who is your favorite book boyfriend?

My favorite book boyfriend is usually the hero of whatever book I’m reading. I just finished FLAT OUT LOVE by Jessica Park, and so I’m going to say….Finn. J

Where can your readers befriend you? Blog? Facebook? Twitter? Goodreads? Links, please.

www.ellestraussbooks.com

@elle_strauss

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorLeeStrauss

https://www.facebook.com/ElleStraussAuthor

http://www.goodreads.com/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&query=elle+strauss

http://www.goodreads.com/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&query=lee+strauss

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I only send emails to announce a new release or promotion. No spam – I promise. J

You can find links to Perception here:

Amazon

Kobo

Barnes & Noble

itunes

GIVEAWAY TIME!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway  

Thanks to Elle for the EBook copies of Perception.

Cheers
Gwynn